Field guide No. 1047
The moth’s abandoned pattern
The pattern outlives its owner
A moth flies away from a cloud of brown wing scales and markings. The pattern has filed for independent status.
Field noteA moth leaves a cloud of wing scales and markings behind. The pattern filed independently.
Also possible, also breaking category
Sparks across exposed tree rootsSnapped roots arc with violet sparks across each break, like severed cables still carrying current.
The zebra’s unfinished stripesStripes are pigment, not ribbon, so the spool is a category slip. The half-zebra is otherwise sound.
Frost blossoms into springFrost ferns on glass but never flowers. Here it has grown little ice daisies beside the real ones.
A tunnel between fruitsA smooth bore joins a watermelon half to a lemon. Nobody consulted the lemon.